Railroad-car-axle lathe



(No Model.)

A. GORDON.

RAILROAD OAR, AXLE LATHE.

Patented Jan. 10,1882.

INVENTOR WITNESSES: a fia/ N4 PETERS. nm-umo m hur. Washingion, n c.

' so as to equalize the torsion in which the so-called universal or Clement driver is used, said Clement driver consisting NITED STATES ALEXANDER GORDON,

PATENT OFFICE;

on CINCINNATI, OHIO. I

RAlLRO AD-CAR-AX LE .LATHE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 252,030, dated January 10,1882.

Application filed July 18, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER GORDON, a subject of Great Britain, and a resident of Cincinnati, Hamilton. county, Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Axle Lathes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to car-axle lathes arranged to carry the axle upon two dead-centers, the driving mechanism operating at some middle point of the axles length, while each end of the axle may be turned .without shifting the driving-dog, and to lathes generally in of a dog-pin plate fitted against the face-plate of the lathe and arranged to move upon said plate diametrically, and having two driving pins projecting from it in a plane at right angles to the line of said diametrical motion, whereby the axle being turned may occupyin its revolutions various positions slightly eocentric to the axis of the driving device.

The object of this invention is to prevent the sagging and trembling of the axle, which generally result from the weight of the drivingplate, which at two points in the revolution of the axle is suspended by the axle.

In double lathes the driver is generally fixed at about the center of the length of the axle, turning the ends. The deflection caused by the weight of the driver is often as serious a matter as the unequal torsion guarded against. By my arrangement I locate the driver as close to one end of the axle as the. carriage and tool manipulation at that endwillpermit; and, furthermore, the driving-plate has a yielding support independent of the axle, thus preventing its periodical dropping and jarring.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a double-axle lathe embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the driving-head, and Fig.3 a front elevation of the driving-head.

In the drawings no attempt has been made to detail parts not considered pertinent to my improvements.

A is the bed of the lathe; B, one center stock, and C the other center stock, the latter having its usual adjustable spindle.

constructed substantially as usual, except that it is gibbed, as at J, or otherwise fitted to slide upon the bed. Both the center stocks, B and (J, are adjustable upon the bed.

The drivingapparatus is clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

E is the main bearing; F, the main gear, journaled in said bearing, and having open center S; L, the usual pinion-shaft, which may be located inside the bed or at the back of the bed, or in any of the usual positions; M, the driving-pinion gearing into the main gear F.

N is a bearing attached to the main bearing E. The pinion M is journalecl. into this bearing N so as to partake of all the movements of the main hearing. The driving-shaft L is splined, to permit the pinion to slide and be driven at any point.

J are the gibs' which attach the driving mechanism to the lathe-bed.

G is the usual driving-plate, having the usual dog-studs, H, and attached in the usual manner t0 the main gear F by the bolts I, Working in slots. When the driving-plate Gis in the position shown in Fig. 3 its obvious tendency is to fall vertically, as far as the bolts I will permit. This tendency to drop occurs at each halfrevolution of the lathe. This tendency is often corrected in a degree by bolting the driver so tightly to the main gear that the friction will support it, spring-Washers being placed under the heads of the bolts I to produce a yielding friction-pressure; but this plan detracts considerably from the essential sensitiveness of the driving-plate.

In order that the weight of the drivin g-plate may not cause undue deflection of the axle, I drive the axle from a point as close to one end as a double lathe will permit. In order to do this I adjust the two center-stocks, B and C, so as to bring the driver at the proper point on theaxle or I adjust the driving mechanism into. proper relation to the two center stocks, all these parts being adjustable upon the 1athe-bed, as mentioned.

In order to still further suppress the tendency of the driver-plate G to cause deflection of the axle, I support it on a yielding bearing,

K, which is in turn supported by the spring Q, resting on the bridge 0, which is attached to the driving-head by the studs P. The spring Q should be supple and of such stiffness as to nicely hold the driving-plate in central position. The bearing K has a stud or stem, R, fitting into the bridge 0, as shown,to steadyit.

The bridge 0, instead of being attached to the driving-head, may be arranged to rest upon the lathe-bed; or it may be supported in any other suitable manner.

If desired, two or more bearings may be used'in the same manner as the single bearing, and a counterbalancing-weight may obviously be substituted for the spring without departing from the principle of this invention.

I claim as my invention 1. In double axle-lathes, the combination of a lathe-bed, two center stocks, one or both of be'd, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In lathe-drivers of the Clement or self-adjusting type specified, the combination of a circular selfadjusting driving plate, and a yielding hearing located below said plate to prevent its periodical dropping, substantially as set forth.

ALEXANDER GORDON.

Witnesses:

JAs. W. SEE, ISRAEL WILLIAMS. 

